The objective of this research is to gain understanding of psychological aspects of the childbirth experience and their impact on the well-being of the child, the new parents, and the family unit. A method has been developed for recording the physical state of the woman in labor as well as the medical and social interactions that occur with her. A measure of delivery room events has also been developed. Prenatal and postpartum interviews with parents provide data on their expectations and recollections of the birth process which can be compared with the researcher's observations. Parents' perceptions of the newborn are compared with the researcher's assessment of infant behaviors. Major findings from this study include the relationship of father involvement during pregnancy and birth with various outcome measures. Analyses revealed the relationship varied depending on the specific form of father involvement. For example, prenatal marital relationship closeness was negatively correlated with father confidence, but helpfulness during labor was positively correlated with confidence in the fathering role.